All regular employees are required to complete an Insurance Membership Form each school year during the month of November for the following calendar year. The month of November is the open enrollment period during which all District employees officially state their intentions to either accept or decline medical, dental, and life insurance. The selection made in November is irrevocable until the following November unless there is a change in family status. Employees must notify the Central Office when such a change is expected to occur, but not later than thirty (30) days after a change actually occurs.

Information about these insurance’s is contained in the Summary Plan Description for Mercer-Auglaize Employee Benefit Trust manuals which are distributed to employees at the time of their business office orientation. Questions should be directed to the Central Office.

All regular employees are eligible to participate in the medical insurance plans offered by the District. If both spouses of a family are employed by the school system, they may select either one (1) family plan or two (2) single plans. Full-time employees are eligible to receive full insurance benefits. Premiums for all other support personnel will be prorated based on average weekly contracted hours according to the following table. No employee can receive more than full-time benefits.

Premiums may be paid by payroll deduction if the employee’s payroll check is large enough to absorb the cost of the premium plus other required deductions. Such deductions can be made under the Section 125 plan offered by the District. See "Section 125" in this section.

All regular employees are eligible to participate in the dental insurance plans offered by the District. Full-time employees are eligible to receive full insurance benefits. All other support personnel are eligible to purchase dental insurance by payment of the full premium at the beginning of each month or by payroll deduction. Such deductions can be made under the Section 125 plan offered by the District. See "Section 125" in this section.

The Board shall purchase a group term life insurance policy for each employee in the amount of $20,000.

Through Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, medical and dental insurance premiums may be paid by payroll deduction with pre-tax dollars. There will never be a time taxes would have to be paid on these pre-tax expenditures.

All employees must accept or decline participation in the Section 125 Plan at the time of their hire. The authorization remains intact until revoked or unless changed during the insurance open enrollment period each September. Election to participate or not participate cannot be changed during a plan year unless there is a change in family status which affects insurance benefits.

Employee should visit the Central Office for further information.

Adopted 7/03
Revised 12/19/07